The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-08-11
THE MAIMINIM.
A CURIOUS SECT LIVING m rHY
PROVINCE OF MACEDONIA.


PROVINCE OF MACEDONIA.
How Its Origin h Associated WisA NE
Puritan Regime IN Knsland-Its Hros.
teal E6ect ON the Politics Of the ssvsn-
tssnth Century Queer Religious Custsms.
In the Turkish province Of Maceao-
MIA are . curious sect known - the Maj
minim, whose origin is associated IN Q
curious way with the Puritan regime In
England. Early in the seventeenth CEN
tury Puritan merchant Of London,
who believed the second advent o.
Christ was near at hand, endeavored to
impress his convictions on his personal
friends and on the many commercial
correspondents and agents he possessed
in various parts of the world. Among
the latter was q certain Mordecsi levi,
OF Smyrna, prosperous Hebrew trader,
and father of dreamy youth who
passed his days in the local Talmud
school and his nights in the study Of the
Cabbala according to the doubly mystic
Interpretation of Rabbi Luria. Young
Levi-afterward known as Sabbethai
Zevt-heard frequently Of the belief Of
the Second Adventists that the year 1905
was destined to witness the coming
OF the Messiah; and eventually ho
adopted the idea. At the same
time he became possessed Of the
idea that he himself was the promised
Saviour Of mankind-a discovery which
he lost no time in communicating to the
world. The news that the Messiah had
arrived flew like lightning through the
whole OF Europe. So seriously was it
entertained that two astute Christians
OF Amsterdam petitioned General Fair
fax and the council Of the preliminary
army to readmit the Jews to England,
On the ground that English shipping
would profit by the transport of the
chosen people to Palestine. Even
Spinoza was startled from his habitual
scepticism by the temporary success Of
the pretender, and expressed the opinion
that reconquest Of Palestine by the
Hebrews was within the range Of prac-
tical politics. Miracles and wonders
were reported on all sides. 1t was one
day bruited in London that a vessel had
been seen in the north of Scotland with
silken sails and cables, manned by He
brew sailors, and flying pennon bearing
Hebrew inscription. When Zevi was
imprisoned by the Sultan, it was soberly
reported in England that pillar of fire
hovered over the prophets place of incar-
ceration, and that eunuchs sent by the
vizier to strangle him fell down dead in
his presence. As a matter of fact, Zevi
did not bear himself very like Messiah
when summoned before the padishah.
10 save his life he went over to Moham-
mechanism.
His many thousand followers now
iwindled away, and to-day but few traces
of them remain. The Maiminim are,
perhaps, the most numerous, as they are
certainly the most interesting, contem.
porary community of his disciples. They
number about 1000 families, and to al
outward appearance are orthodox sons
Of Islam. Persecution has driven them
to this dissimulation, but they put the
best face on their compulsory disguise,
and teach their children that, while the
world was really created for them, the
burden OF government and warfare was
imposed on the Mussulmans az punish.
ment. They urge this lesson with the
sententious illustration that 'there is no
egg without q SHE'LL" and, indeed, their
designation for the unbeliever, "Kelipa,"
is cabaiistic term for matter which lii.
orally means shell" They are not united
among themselves. Three sub-sects Of
Maiminim exist, known respectively -
Karavejo, Honias, and Jakubites. The
frat q doanond nto ~ - 4.
ciples OF Sabbethai, and the others of
followers of two disciples-Osman Babs
and Jacob Querido-who advanced
claims to the Messiahship on the death
of the prophet. Otherwise they do not
differ either in creed or religious OBJ
servances and social conduct. Thev
believe in one God of whom Sabbethsi
was the prophet. All the great person
ages of the Old Testament-Adam, Abrs-
ham, Jacob, Moses, and even Esther
were only forms Of Sabbethania, who
visited the earth eighteen times. The
world outside their own commu.
nifty is divided into Jews and
Kelipas, with neither of whom are they
permitted to marry. The Jews, how
ever, will one day embrace Sabbeism, and
meanwhile are allowed some hope of
Paradise; but the Kelipss are eternally
damned and, both bodies and souls, are
destined for the underworld. For the
rest the Maiminim are ruled by the Mo-
sale law, which, through their own secret
tribunals, they apply even to secular dis
putes Religious services are performed
twice day in special places of worship
called "kal." With their green.colored
lamps and their congregations clothed
entirely in white, they present rather Q
weird appearance. The prayers are
read by precentor or "paytan," partly
in Hebrew and partly in Ladino
or Judea-Spanish. The evening service
is preceded by a solemn meal, similar to
the agape of the primitive Christians.
which is eaten in an apartment adjoining
the synagogue and at which the wor-
shippers lay aside their arms in token Of
mutual amity. They have only two fes-
tivals of any importance, one of which,
called "The Feast of the Lamb" is held
to symbolic the bond of love which
unites the community. The other is the
Christmas of the Maiminim. 1t COM
memorates the birth of Sabbethai, and IN
held on the Jewish fast day of Tisha.
Beab, the anniversary of the destruction
of the Temple, which Zevi himself
ordered should be turned into day Of
rejoicing in honor of his advent.
AlthOuph the Maiminim attond vv,o.c,,>